"...and when she set out that morning to pierce the east horizon, there it was: a monumental promontory of granite construction, occupying a great deal of the sky."
"It was simply its own spectacle, a gigantic spike of polished granite emerging from the otherwise flat surface of Emeraldine."

"Once it stretched to its tallest height, it settled in place, rotated, and stopped with a loud metallic ring. Then, from top to bottom, rivulets of light formed, cascading a soft blue glow over the landscape."


"...a long, long platform stretching across a gaping chasm. For several hundred feet above and below, numerous spiraling, silver-reinforced floors stretched..."


"The one thing that caught her eye was the lavender glow—the same beam of light that was forever coalescing into the heart of the pit..."
"lavender-shimmering emblems etched into the wall of the chamber."
"the entire place was awash in lavender glow."

I wonder how old Crystal Tower is... and what it's original purpose could be. RD might have passed over something really quite important during her journey, hmm?

...OH MY GOD.
BRB.

... How did I not notice this before!?!

... Holy. Shit.

Drops teacup.

My God, the Crystal Empire is still lost. But RD found it.

I'm at school in math class, reading this, when suddenly I get mind raped. Thanks a lot.

WUT

Well, tbh, you're taking a few liberties with the description, and some of it is lacking important context, but it does bear more than a passing semblance.

I'm gonna be *that guy,* sorry.

The Emeraldine arc was published in August of 2012, the Crystal Empire didn't air until November. The first image of the post was leaked, though, so it's more than possible that it served as inspiration. (I would also point out that "granite" is mentioned several times as the building material, not crystal. To wit, Crystal Ponies eventually *do* show up in the series, and they're not in Emeraldine.)

992710
If I recall, the Empire is also to the north of Ponyville. Not east.

993067
I think we are missing the point that FloorBelow is trying to make.

The concept art for the crystal empire probably existed in the studio over a year before the release of the actual episode. The voice acting and animation was probably finished months in advance as well. Obviously, the ONLY logical explanation is that Imploding Colon is actually a writer for the show. It is the only way he could have known that much about crystal empire.

993519

Just because it's a coincidence doesn't mean it's not true.

996010 Being coincidental does not make it wrong, no. Just insignificant.

993067
I'm not saying that Crystal Empire was an inspiration for anything, and Im not saying that it fits perfectly with Ancient Alicorn (there's no evidence of glyph-symbols or machines or red flames, either.) I just thought of it as an interesting hypothetical situation, and a good way to tie Austraeoh-universe back into the mythology of the show.

999522
Mmmm... Mythology..... *drools*

Okay! Idea! What if? Our new and improved Austraeoh Dashie fought Sombra?
And it wouldn't be the hucky dark cloud Sombra, it would be IC's own take on Sombra. Wouldn't that be awesome?